Hwatu to Horse Racing: Korea’s Legal Forms of Gambling

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When you think of South Korea, the first thing that comes to your mind is the country’s rich history and amazing culture. However, this beautiful place with welcoming people has a few strict laws you must follow, especially if you are someone who loves gambling. The last thing you want is to get into trouble because you didn’t follow the gambling rules in the country. This article will take a dive into the legality or illegality of gambling in South Korea.

men on horses

Gambling Landscape In Korea 

Before the era of Buddhism, gambling was legal and completely normal in Korea, specifically the Goryeo Dynasty. However, Buddhism frowns upon gambling. So, its spread quickly led to the ban of all sorts of gambling in the country. In modern times you can find Korean gambling websites on the casino recommendation community Royal Club. Why is this possible? Does it mean gambling is now legal in the country? Well, not entirely. 

Some forms of gambling are legal in Korea but under strict regulations by watchdogs. While most forms of betting are illegal in the country, there are some expectations, as you’ll see below:

Hwatu

This is one of the oldest Korean games in history and can be traced back to the 19th century. It involves a deck of 48 cards with different artistic impressions. You will need a minimum of two and a maximum of seven players to play Hwatu. The primary objective of the game is to earn points by running tricks or collecting sets of cards. Anyone with the highest number of points by the end of the game wins. Thanks to technological advancements, you can now play modern Hwatu online or on a mobile app.

Horse Racing

Another legal form of betting in Korea is horse racing. This industry is regulated by The Korea Racing Authority and has been since 1922. You can visit famous horse racing tracks across the country to place your bets and watch the game. Some popular destinations are the Jeju Horse Racing Park, Seoul Racecourse, and the Busan-Gyeongnam Horse Racing Park. Apart from visiting the tracks to bet at designated centers, you can also bet online through the official website of the Korea Racing Authority. Just make sure you bet on a healthy and fast horse after doing some research.

Go-Stop

This is another traditional Korean gambling game that dates back to the 19th century. The card game is similar to Hwatu. Your goal is to predict the outcome of the game by the cards from the deck. Each time you play your card, you can either Go (keep playing) or stop (stop playing). Keep in mind that Go-Stop uses the same deck of cards as Hwatu, and players earn bonus points when they get difficult combinations. Success during the game depends on a combination of luck and skill.

Lotteries

It’s hard to find a country where the lottery is illegal. This form of gambling has been televised for years across multiple countries, and Korea is no exception. The most popular lottery in Korea is the Lotto 6/45. This, and other legal lotteries in the country, are regulated by The Korea Lottery Commission. It is based purely on luck. All you have to do is purchase a few tickets and wait for the announcement. However, hitting a jackpot on the lottery is rare as you are more likely to get smaller wins or nothing at all. The rules for lottery games vary across providers but usually involve picking a ticket that has a set of matching numbers from a pool of numbers.

Sports Betting

Sports betting is legal in Korea, but there is a catch. You can only place legal sports bets through the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation. It requires a combination of skill and luck. Pick a sport you enjoy and study the trends to determine the outcome for a specific game. The most common options are baseball and football, and you can also bet on an international match. Unfortunately, the odds won’t usually be in your favor and betting on a random Casino website site might put you in trouble with the regulators.

Conclusion 

If you explore the options above, you can enjoy gambling in Korea. However, regulators are always on high alert because the government wants to reduce instances of gambling addiction. Making gambling less accessible will go a long way in curbing this addiction problem. If you must gamble, do it as a leisure activity using only money you can afford to lose. Also, make sure you gamble through designated websites and physical centers for your own safety.

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